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Loaded Potato Soup

Loaded potato soup made with creamy, mashed russet potatoes simmered until tender, then finished with melted cheddar and sour cream. Topped with crispy bacon, shredded cheddar, and green onions for a thick, spoon-coating bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 580
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bacon base
  • 8 strips bacon Dice before cooking.
Potatoes and aromatics
  • 3 lb russet potatoes Peel and cube.
  • 1 onion Dice.
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced.
Soup base
  • 4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 8 oz cream cheese Soften before adding.
  • 2 cup shredded cheddar For melting into the soup.
  • 1 cup sour cream For melting into the soup.
Seasonings
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 salt and pepper To taste.
All toppings
  • 1 sour cream Extra for serving.
  • 1 cheddar Extra for serving (shredded).
  • 1 bacon Crispy crumbles for serving.
  • 1 green onions Sliced for topping.
  • 1 chives Optional topping.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook bacon and build flavor
  1. Cook the bacon in a large pot until crispy, then remove and set aside while leaving drippings in the pot.
  2. Sauté the onion in the bacon drippings for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Simmer and thicken
  1. Add the chicken broth and cubed russet potatoes, then simmer for 20 minutes until very tender.
  2. Mash about 2/3 of the potatoes in the pot, then stir in the cream cheese and heavy cream until smooth.
  3. Stir in the shredded cheddar and sour cream until melted, then season generously with garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper.
Finish and serve
  1. Fold in most of the bacon, then ladle into bowls and top with the remaining bacon, sour cream, cheddar, green onions, and chives.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, mash 2/3 thoroughly and leave the rest chunky so the soup stays thick. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat gently over medium-low to prevent separating—freeze up to 2 months. If you want a lighter version, swap heavy cream for half-and-half and use reduced-fat cream cheese (texture will be slightly less rich).